Getting Our Spiritual Address Correct

If this content resonates with you, share your thoughts in the comments below.

“How do we address the enemy?”

That was the question that I was asked recently. And to be honest, it kind of stumped me.

How do we address the enemy?

Well, if the truth is told, I usually do not address the enemy at all. Instead, I focus on communicating with my Savior. So, I guess my answer to that query would be that I avoid all communication with the enemy and his minions whenever possible.

But after I was asked this question and answered it to the best of my ability, it kept reverberating in my mind and heart: How do we address the enemy?

Anyone who has known me for even a short time knows that my response to this and all worrisome questions was to begin with research.

First, I asked my husband, who is the quiet rock of our family, and he looked at me with an expression that clearly expressed almost 50 years of familiarity. Yes, I knew that look; it spoke to me without words, encouraging me to find the answer for myself while insinuating that I did not really want his answer.

So, still looking for an easy, painlessly acceptable answer, I went to my pastor, who has been my earthly shepherd for almost three decades. Ironically, he gave me the same look as my husband.

Thankfully, though, he did put his answer into words … well, one word, to be exact: Jesus.

But I was not having one-word answers at that point, no matter how complete they were, so I waited. I may have even returned that same knowing look that he and my husband had given me.

My pastor finally explained that the name of Jesus was the one and only answer that contained the power and authority to stop the enemy in his tracks.

As he turned to leave me and our troubling conversation, my pastor added another bit of wisdom. He stated that from his recollection, there were two conflicting types of commands concerning an encounter with the enemy. In one instance, the Bible tells us to flee from all that is evil (especially the Evil One), and the other instance is when the enemy is commanded to flee from us.

That pastoral sidenote led me to do a thorough search for the word “flee” throughout the Old and New Testaments. After perusing over 100 biblical references to the word, I found that God’s people were often instructed to flee from impending evil, including actual physical enemies and armies of specific time periods.

But I also read Scripture that repeatedly warned God’s people to flee from all sin, including idolatry, fornication, youthful lust, and all covetousness. There were also biblical warnings to flee from the wrath to come, wrath borne of sinful human choices.

Most of those scriptures were familiar to me. However, the references that did surprise me during my word search centered on where and to whom His people should flee during times of needed escape. Each of these surprising verses focused on finding safety and sanctuary through the merciful provision of God.

Yet, the most surprising aspect of my study was the fact that fleeing was never an option for one biblical character – the shepherd. Both the shepherd of earthly sheep and the Good Shepherd of our souls never, ever backed away from the enemy. Fleeing was simply not an option.

In fact, John 10 reminds us that we are His sheep, and we will always know the voice of our Shepherd. This passage also promises us that He will never flee the ever-encroaching danger from the enemy of His sheep. Instead, He assures us in verse 11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.”

Jesus did exactly what He promised to do for us; He gave His life for us on Calvary. There, in our stead, Jesus forever addressed the enemy of our souls by triumphing over death, hell, and the grave when He arose three days later, alive and victorious for eternity.

And therein lies the answer to my original question.

Yes, while I reside here in my earthly body on this side of heaven, I will encounter the enemy. I will face the lure of sin and its earthly consequences. And I will continue to face the choice of fleeing from the enemy and his wiles or fleeing to the One who has already conquered that enemy.

So, it does come to an address, but not in the way we address the enemy.

It all comes down to where we stand, where we reside, where and to whom we flee – our spiritual address, so to speak. In that case, perhaps Psalm 91 offers the best possible address for true refuge from the enemy.

But Natalie Breckenridge, author of The Covered Home, explains that the refuge offered in this often-quoted psalm is not just a flowery, poetic description of a temporary residence:

“Psalm 91 is not a poem. It’s an address. It’s not something you read for comfort and close. It’s somewhere you actually live. ‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.’ Not visits. Not stops by when things get hard. Dwells.”

Her words help sum up my final scripturally based answer to the question of how we address the enemy.

All we have to do is make our address sure. For once we are dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, He will rebuke the devourer for us.

Wow, look at that! My pastor was right in his one-word answer: Jesus is our address.

Please Note: We moderate all reader comments, usually within 24 hours of posting (longer on weekends). Please limit your comment to 300 words or less and ensure it addresses the content. Comments that contain a link (URL), an inordinate number of words in ALL CAPS, rude remarks directed at the author or other readers, or profanity/vulgarity will not be approved.